Wearable systems can integrate various elements, such as miniaturized computers, input devices, sensors, image displays, wireless communication devices, and image and audio processors, into a device that can be worn by a user. Such systems can provide a mobile and lightweight solution to communicating, computing, and interacting with a user's environment. With the advance of technologies associated with wearable systems and miniaturized optical elements, it has become possible to consider wearable compact optical display systems that augment the user's experience of a real-world environment.
In one example, by placing an image display element or component close to the user's eye(s), an artificial or virtual computer-generated image can be displayed over the user's view of the real-world environment. One or more such image display elements can be incorporated into optical display systems and referred to generally as near-eye displays, head-mounted displays (“HMDs”), or heads-up displays (“HUDs”). Depending upon the size of the display element and the distance to the user's eye, the artificial image may fill or nearly fill the user's field of view.